Ketchum appoints Jo-ann Robertson as new London CEO

Ketchum has promoted Jo-ann Robertson to CEO of Ketchum London. She replaces current CEO Denise Kaufmann, who is returning to the US to become the agency’s director of client development for North America.

Current deputy London CEO, Robertson will assume responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the London office in January and is tasked with securing and retaining top talent and building the agency’s client base. She will report to Mark Hume, partner at Ketchum and its COO and CFO, Europe.

She was promoted to deputy London CEO in 2015 after joining the agency in 2011 as managing director of corporate and public affairs, where she tripled the size of the team.

Kaufmann has led the London office since 2013, but will now be based in Chicago where she will focus on providing the highest level of client support to Ketchum’s North American clients. She will work closely with client directors across the region to improve client engagement and facilitate growth.

Barri Rafferty, partner and president at Ketchum, said: “Together, Denise and Jo-ann have made a powerhouse team for one of our largest and most successful offices. I am confident that the office will continue to thrive under Jo-ann’s leadership as Denise returns to her US roots to focus on the client experience in our largest and most critical region.”

Hume added: “Jo-ann is a highly strategic, pragmatic leader with an eye for mentoring talent and a proven track record of business generation, and she is one of our best client counselors.

“Having worked side by side with Denise over the past two years to strategically grow this critical hub for global client engagements, I could not think of anyone more perfectly suited for this role than Jo-ann.”